Patterning system for knitting machines



Sheet J. SUTTON 'PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES A. MR

May 27, 1969 Filed March 2, 1966 May 27, 1969 J. SUTTON 3,446,037

v PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 2, 1966 Sheet 2 of 11 1969 J. SUTTON PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Sheet i of 11 Filed March 2, 1966 May 27, 1969 J. SUTTON 3,446,037

PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 2, 1966 Sheet 4 of 11 May 27, 1969 J. SUTTON PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Sheet 5' of 11 Filed March 2, 1966 I57 DUO-DECADE 43 2ND 3120 4) m M EMU F 4 3 4 4 T 9 X o 4b 1 May 27,1969 J. SUTTON PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Sheet Filed March 2, 1966 p mm ma Ms 1 w 45 NO 2 GATE SEQUENTIAL SCAN /2 WAY PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 2, 1966 Sheet 7 of 11 COLOUR DRIVES May 27, 1969 J. SUTTON 3,446,037

PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March a, 1966 I Sheet 3 of 11 40 65 X- TR/G XZI SCANNER FA T Y- SCAN 1' A SCHMIDT (10cm N6 comm/a (y- SCAN) May 27, 1969 PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 2, 1966 Sheet 9 of 11 x-m/e 6 T0 'IZ'STORE TRANSFER umrs 12 RING COUNTERB) 20kc$ Y-TlZ/G 4Q J. SUTTON 3,446,037

y 1969' J. SUTTON 3,446,037

PATTERNING SYSTEM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 2, 1966 Sheet /0 of 11 REF PE. REF. PE. P i CELL] csuz.

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United States Patent PATTERNIQNG 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A multi-feed circular knitting machine equipped with electronic patterning system. Needles in a rotary cylinder are associated with patterning butts in several planes. Banks of selectively operable electro-magnetic butt displacing devices displace butts in relation to raising cams whereby some needles knit and others do not. A flat control transparency bears information in analogue form influencing the butt displacing devices. A flying spot cathode ray tube scans this information which is converted into digital pulses.

The system includes a magnetic core store, and means for receiving and discriminating the pulses and routing them either to desired one of the electro-magnetic butt displacing devices or to the magnetic core store.

This invention relates to patterning systems for knitting machines, and is applicable exclusively to knitting machines of the class equipped with individually operable needles or any other appropriate knitting instruments (hereinafter for convenience referred to simply as needles) and means for exercising selective and individual control over these needles, through the medium of associated butts which, according to predetermined patterning requirements, are adapted either to be left undisturbed so as to permit operation of the corresponding needles in a desired manner, or to be acted upon so that the relevant needles will either remain quiescent or be permitted to function in an alternative manner, all according to the nature of the patterned knitted fabric to be produced.

The term associated butts is used herein in a generic sense and is intended to be sufliciently broad to cover not only the more usual case in which the butts are provided on jacks, sliders, selectors or like instruments separate from the needles, but also a case in which the butts are on the needles themselves.

Although principally intended for application to multifeed circular knitting machines, e.g. of the rotary needle cylinder type, there is no limitation in this respect since the invention may be applied to any other appropriate types of circular knitting machines, such, for instance, as hose or half-hose machines, as well as, in certain more limited circumstances, to flat or straight bar knitting machines furnished with individually operable needles.

For convenience and simplicity in the following further description it will be assumed (Without, however, any limitation in the broad scope of the invention) that the butts associated with the needles are intended to be either left out to be acted upon by, or passed in to avoid, a cam so that the corresponding needles will be either caused to knit or non-knit respectively.

Now heretofore, a knitting machine of the class herein referred to has customarily been equipped with patterning mechanism, of either a wholly mechanical or an electromechanical character comprising rotary drums fitted with prearranged pegs or rotary wheels equipped with bits or equivalent, slides, selectors, star-wheels, and so on. Such mechanisms are mechanically complex and limited in their patterning scope. In attempts to simplify these systems and increase the patterning scope thereof it has previously been proposed to incorporate therein stacks of electro-magnetic actuators for selectively actuating individually movable selector members, and to provide a jacquard-like control strip or band movable in time with the operation of the knitting machine for controlling the said actuators. But, even so, such previously proposed patterning mechanisms are limited in their pattern area capability and fabric yield.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of patterning system for knitting machines which is electronically controlled and not subject to any of the aforementioned limitations.

A particular aim is the provision of a very sensitive and reliable patterning system designed to achieve individual needle control by making all of the associated butts capable of being influenced separately in accordance with a pattern changing technique controlled from an electronically scanned control element, hereinafter to be described.

According to this invention the herein defined associated butts in a knitting machine of the class referred to are so disposed in a multiplicity of planes as to enable the butts in any one plane to be well spaced apart with appropriate time intervals between them, and the said machine is equipped with a patterning system comprising, in combination, selectively operable electro-magnetic butt displacing devices arranged in the butt planes, a pattern control element bearing information adapted to influence actuation of the said displacing devices, an electronic pattern scanning system for systematically scanning the information borne by the pattern control element and for converting it into electrical signals, and means for receiving and discriminating such signals and thereupon routing them either to appropriate ones of the said electromagnetic butt displacing devices or to a magnetic core store which holds them until subsequently required for feeding to other relevant butt displacing devices.

Preferably, the associated butts are relatively offset in a multiplicity of spaced planes to form inclined parallel lines of butts such that successive butts are located in different planes to increase the space, and hence also the time interval, between butts in any one plane. The purpose of this arrangement of the butts is to provide sufiicient time for actuation of the electro-magnetic butt displacing devices to which electrical signals are fed.

An aspect of the invention relating, as is mainly the intention, to a multi-feed circular knitting machine of the rotary needle cylinder type, consists of a particular form of the patterning system for use in conjunction with the arrangement of associated butts just described and comprising, in combination, a plurality of banks of electromagnetic butt displacing devices, one bank to each feed, and the said devices in each bank corresponding in number and spacing to the planes in which the relatively ofi'set butts are disposed, a pattern control element of a light-transmitting character having contrasting points adaped to transmit respectively different amounts or Wavelengths of light, these points constituting bits of information (data) calculated to influence the electromagnetic butt displacing devices and hence also the associated butts separately according to patterning requirements, an electronic scanner which is adapted to systematically scan the information borne by the pattern control element and includes means for collecting spots of light which are emitted by the scanner and are modified in intensity or Wavelength in correspondence with the aforesaid contrasting light-transmitting points by virtue of movement across the pattern control element, the last mentioned means also functioning to convert these spots into electrical signals acceptable by control circuitry incorporating the electro-magnetic butt displacing devices, a magnetic core store adapted to hold appropriate electrical signals until subsequently required for feeding to relevant butt displacing devices, and a discriminator to which the signals are fed and by which said signals are routed either to the core store or, via gates, to the predetermined ones of the butt displacing devices.

The feeds, i.e. the locations at which yarns are fed to needles and selected ones of the latter are caused to take and knit said yarns whilst non-selected needles fail to take yarn and do not knit, or vice versa, according to the patterning requirements, are equi-spaced around the machine, these feeds being arranged in a plurality of giOups each comprising a number of feeds equal to the number of contrasting groups of points on the pattern control element adapted to transmit respectively different amounts or wavelengths of light as aforesaid.

For convenience and simplicity in the following further description the invention will be assumedto be applied solely to a multi-feed circular knitting machine of the rotary needle cylinder type which, of course, produces a garment of a seamless tube in a continuous spiral fashion so that some system is in this case essential to convert rectangular control data into circular form. The same general principles of the electronic patterning system of this invention would, however, apply in the case of a flat or straight-bar knitting machine, although in that case the butt displacing devices would move back and forth over and along stationary needle beds together with the cam carriage, and appropriate dispositions of the said devices, in conjunction with reserve switching arrangements would probably be required to cater for forward and reverse strokes of the said carriage.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, one specific example thereof applied to a multi-feed circular knitting machine of the rotary needle cylinder and dial type will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much of the knitting head of a machine of this type as is necessary to illustrate a needle, and a corresponding jack with a selector butt.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view depicting not only housings for a group of miniature solenoids employed for operating a bank of the said electro-magnetic butt depressing devices at one feed, but also a portion of a drilled disc which is attached to the cylinder of the machine and is scanned by photo-electric cells, for a purpose hereinafter to be explained,

FIGURE 3 is a portion of a diagrammatic layout of those jack butts of the machine which are selectively acted upon by the electro-magnetic butt depressing devices,

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of one of the butt depressing units, showing in addition a modification of the jack set-up.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional plan view of the same showing the mechanical connections between the butt depressing devices and their solenoids,

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the same unit,

FIGURE 7 is a diagram illustrating the relative positions of a flying spot scanning tube, the pattern control element, a photo multiplier and optical units included in the electronic pattern scanning system,

FIGURE 8 is a full plan view of the aforementioned drilled disc scanned by photo-electric cells,

FIGURE 9 is an enlargement of the portion of the disc designated S in FIGURE 8,

FIGURE 10 is a transverse sectional view of the disc taken on the line XX of FIGURE 9, showing also the relationship of this disc to the photo-electric cells and a light source,

FIGURES 11, 11A and 12, 12A are parts of a complete semi-logic diagram illustrating a general layout of the electronic patterning control system,

FIGURE 13 is a diagrammatic representation of two comparative bit areas showing target and off-target positions of the spot of the scanning tube,

FIGURE 14 is a further diagram illustrating a pin cushion effect,

FIGURE 15 diagrammatically illustrates fragmentary portions of the pattern control element and the manner in which the starting points of the Fast Y-scans" are shifted,

FIGURE 16 represents the idealised waveforms appertaining to the system, and

FIGURE 17 shows at (a) to (h) the various symbols used in the semi-logic diagram of FIGURES 11, 11A and 12, 12A and also the input and output pulses of the symbolised electronic devices.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the rotary cylinder and idal machine to which the invention is applied comprises a cylinder 1 in which are out 1728 tricks 1a to receive a corresponding number of needles 2. Each needle 2 is formed with a butt 2a arranged to be acted upon by cams such as 3 and 4 mounted in an annular shell or cam box 5. This cam box is supported upon a cam 'box plate 6. The illustrated cylinder 1 is made in two initially separate upper and lower parts 111 and 10 respectively, the upper part constituting a cylinder verge. Beneath each needle 2 there is provided a rockable control jack 7 having an operating butt 7a at its lower end and, at an appropriate height along its stem, a selector butt 7b. The needle selecting system is such that if a jack 7 is allowed, at a feed, to remain in its outwardly rocked position shown in FIGURE 1, its operating butt 7a will be left projecting from the cylinder 1 and thus engaged by a jack raising cam 8 as a consequence of which the said jack, and hence also the corresponding needle 2, will be raised so that the needle will function in a required manner: but, if, on the other hand, the jack 7 is rocked inwardly into its trick 1a by action of a butt depressing device upon the selector butt 7b, then the operating butt 7a wil be so inwardly displaced and buried in the trick as to avoid being engaged by the raising cam 8 as a result of which neither the jack nor the corresponding needle will be raised. Hence in these conditions the needle 2 will either remain quiescent or be permitted to function in an alternative manner. It is to be understood that there are twelve selector butt planes, That is to say, the stem of each jack 7 is initially provided with a full complement of twelve frangible butts all but one of which are broken off to leave one, 7b, at a predetermined height thereon. Thus, in FIGURE 1, the butt left remaining is in full lines while the remaining eleven selector butt positions are indicated in dotted lines. The rotary dial of the machine is indicated at 9, a dial needle therein at 10 and the customary dial cam cap assembly at 11.

The needle selecting system may, however, be of the modified form illustrated in FIGURE 4 and yet achieve the same results. That is to say, in this modification each jack, or it may even be each needle, is formed with a downwardly directed springy extension such as 12 having at its lower end a butt 12a disposed either to be engaged by or to miss a jack raising cam depending on whether the said extension is in its outwardly springy position or, as shown, is pressed back inwardly into the cylinder trick 1a respectively. At the front of each springy extension 12, and in the same needle trick 1a, there is provided a rockable selector 7 which fulcrums at 13 and is provided with a butt 7b in a predetermined one of twelve possible selector butt positions. In this case the butt depressing devices presently to be described act selectively upon the butts 7b in the same way as in the needle selecting system shown in FIGURE 1 and with the same ultimate results.

In the specific multi-feed rotary needle cylinder and dial machine being described, the selector butts 7b are arranged right around the cylinder 1 in the manner shown in FIGURE 3. Thus, these butts are relatively offset laterally in twelve horizontal planes 1425 equally spaced heightwise so that inclined parallel lines 26 of the butts are formed. Accordingly, successive selector butts, progressing around the cylinder, are located in different planes-with twelve butts in each inclined line 26 and a circumferential space 27, representing a time interval, between the butts in any one plane.

The particular machine being considered has thirtysix feeds, and the cylinder 1 and the dial 9 rotate together at a speed of approximately 25 rpm. In advance of each feed there is a bank of electro-magnetically operated butt-depressing devices designated generally by the reference numeral 28. The devices 28 in each bank correspond in number and spacing to the horizontal planes 14-25 in which the staggered selector butts 7b are disposed.

Each electro-magnetic butt-depressing device 28 consists of a small pivotally mounted graded cam 29 having associated therewith a pivoted latch 30 which is mechanically coupled by a link 31 to a miniature solenoid 32 requiring, say, 12 volts at from 300-500 ma. to operate it. The latch 30- of each cam 29 is also controlled by means of a light spring 33, for example, and as shown in FIGURE 5, of the tension type. The idea is that if such a graded cam, located in a butt plane, is projected inwardly up to the surface of the rotating needle cylinder 1, just'after a butt 7b has passed by it, and the said cam is thereupon held in this projected position sufiiciently long to press the following selector butt 7b into the relevant trick or groove 1a, the cam can then be withdrawn outwardly away from the cylinder surface before the third butt arrives, thereby missing the latter. This operation is made possible because the Work done by the solenoid 32 is sufficient to overcome the friction of the mechanical system plus the light return spring 33. The arrangement is preferably such that if a butt 7b is depressed by a graded cam 29 into the cylinder 1 the relevant jack 7 and hence also the corresponding needle -2 will not be raised by the raising cam 8 at the feed and hence the needle will not knit. Conversely, if the butt 7]) is missed by the cam 29 and the operating butt 7a on the jack is thereby allowed to remain projecting from the cylinder, the said butt 7a will be acted upon and raised by the cam 8 so that in the preferred arrangement the needle 2 is cleared, takes yarn and knits.

The electro-magnetic butt depressing, i.e. selector, devices 28 may be assembled in either of two ways, viz either so that each is latched by means of the spring 33 and removed by energising the corresponding solenoid 32 or so that each is held off by the spring and latched with the solenoid. The second way produces a fail safe condition if the power fails.

In any event, the electro-magnetic butt depressing devices 28 are arranged in vertical banks, one to each feed as aforesaid, and although the more horizontal planes there are in which the associated butts are staggered the greater will be the time interval between butts in any one plane, it is nevertheless an advantage to reduce these planes to a minimum because each extra plane involves the use of an extra transducer. The twelve planes 14-25 is a convenient number as, with a total of 1728 needles in the cylinder 1, this gives a time interval between butts in any one plane of 18 ms. The circuit of a miniature solenoid will respond at this speed, and twelve superimposed electro-magnetic butt depressing or selector devices 28 can easily be assembled in each of the spaces 27 between inclined lines 26 of offset butts 7b. Thus, again merely for convenience in description and not for any purpose of limiting the scope of the invention, it will hereinafter be assumed that there are, in fact,.twelve solenoid selector devices in each vertical bank these requiring to be scanned successively and continuously at the butt passing rate (needle cylinder speed) so that each succeeding needle 2 can be commanded to knit or not knit.

Since the heightwise dimension of each solenoid 32 far exceeds the thickness of the cam 29 and of the associated latch 30 influenced thereby, it is not possible, of course, to dispose the twelve solenoids of each series one above the other. For this reason each series of twelve solenoids 32 is divided into three groups each of four, the solenoids in each such group being secured one above another within correspondingly disposed horizontal recesses formed laterally in a vertical housing block 34. There are two housing blocks 34 for the solenoids relating to each bank of twelve butt depressing devices 28, these being relatively inclined as shown in FIGURE 5, and one of them being appropriately recessed at both sides while the other is recessed at one side only. In this way, the links 31 extending from the three groups of solenoids can converge and be so interleaved that the ends of the links pivotally connected to the latches 30 are spaced heightwise at the same intervals as the latter. The two housing blocks 34 and a horizontally slotted vertical guide plate 35 for the pivoted earns 29 are mounted between horizontal plates 36 and 37, the whole combining to provide a unitary assembly capable of being supported adjacent to the needle cylinder 1, for example as shown in FIGURE 2.

The illustrated electronic patterning control system includes a pattern control element consisting of a flat transparency 38 (see FIGURES 7 and 15) in which the patterning information is stored in analogue form. This transparency has contrasting points 39 which constitute bits of information and are adapted to transmit respectively different amounts or wavelengths of light. In the particular example being described, the bits are black, grey and white-representing three colours; it is, however, to be clearly understood that the black, grey and white bits may, if desired represent contrasting pattern features other than those based on colours. The transparency is scanned by a cathode ray tube (C.R.T.) 40 whose time bases are derived, in the form required for correct application of pattern information to the machine feeds, viz X-scan and Y-scan current generators at 41 and 42 respectively (see FIGURES 12, 12A) from photo-electric (RB) cells 43 (FIGURES 9 and 10) scanning a specially drilled disc 44 (FIGURES 2, 8, 9 and 10) attached to the needle cylinder 1, this PE. cell and current generator system ensuring absolute synchronism with the machine at all times. The RB. cells are influenced by light from the light source L shining through the drilled holes 44a disposed in lines in the disc 44.

The object of the CRT. 40 is to convert the data contained in the flat transparency 38 to a digitised electrical signal form capable of acceptance by the control circuits presently to be described. Left to right or the X direction of the transparency represents, in the particular case being exemplified, stitches around the machine horizontally, that is the courses, whereas the top to bottom or Y direction of the transparency corresponds to the walewise direction of the knitted fabric. Accordingly, as there are 1728 needles in the cylinder 1, one line of scan collects 1728 hits of information corresponding to the same number of individual stitches. A pattern 2000 courses in length would accordingly require 2000 scans.

A photomultiplier 45 and discriminator 46 convert the analogue to digital pulses and channel them to the outputs or a magnetic core store generally represented at 47 in FIGURES 11, 11A. This magnetic core store is arranged to hold pulses required to initiate stitches unable to be knitted at the time the information is scanned ofr' the transparency (having regard to the sequential arrangement of the colour feeds). An output system of gates and bistables is used to ensure the desired selections of pre determined butts 7b. Both the core store input/ output circuits and the output system are locked to the RE. cell disc 44 and scanning time base circuits. What has so far been broadly described of the electronic patterning control system is, of course, a mere preliminary outline. The details will progressively emerge, particularly as and when FIGURES 11 and 12 are referred to. It is, however, convenient to mention at this stage that the ultimate aim of the whole equipment is to provide, on the machine already described herein, a versatile pattern control in three colours over an area of 288 courses each of 288 stitches. But to simplify the explanation the pattern area to be specifically discussed will be limited to 144 x 144 bits in the X and Y directions respectively. The expansion to 288 x 288 is accomplished by the +2 at the left-hand side of FIGURE 12 plus an increase from twelve to twenty-four steps on the clock and ring counter 48 shown adjacent to the Type 4 current generators-also shown at the lefthand side of FIGURE 12.

To meet the patterning requirements of the specific arrangement now being described there are twelve groups of three feeds equispaced around the machine, all requiring data simultaneously, any two of these being separated by 144 stitches, i.e. 144 bits or points on the transparency. Thus, when the cylinder 1 is stationary there are 48 needles between each feed and 144 between each group and the present design is based on this arrangement. Also as the three feeds in one group are knitting together to form one course, the following further description assumes that the first feed in each group starts a separate course. Hence one twelfth revolution of the machine will knit the first 144 stitches of each of 12 courses, each staggered by 144 stitches on the preceding course. One revolution will knit 12 courses, and so on.

Moreover, before proceeding further with the description, it will be advantageous to list and define the various signs and symbols used in the semi-logic diagram of FIG- URES 11, 11A and 12, 12A. Thus, to appreciate the description of FIGURE 17 which shows these symbols, it must first be realised that a pulse when referred to or/and shown (unless dimensioned) means a voltage or current rising or falling from one level to another, remaining for a period and returning to its original level. Normally such a pulse is shown thus:

But where an inversion occurs a pulse is shown thus:

The first is called positive going and the second negative going.

At (a) in FIGURE 17 is shown the symbol adopted to represent an And gate, one pulse at one input resulting in no change in output.

At (b) is shown another And gate in which two pulses at the two inputs produce a negative going output pulse.

At (c) is symbolically represented an Or gate wherein a pulse at either input produces a positive oing output pulse.

(d) is a symbolic representation of a differentiator and in FIGURE 12 these are marked B or E depending on whether the beginning or the end of a differentiated pulse is used.

At (e) in FIGURE 17 is depicted the symbol for an am lifier designed to produce an inverted and amplified output pulse.

(f) is the symbol employed to represent a bistable in which the first trigger pulse starts and the second trigger pulse terminates the output pulse.

(g) represents a monostable adapted to provide a pulse lengthening circuit, the length being fixed by circuit constants. The figures quoted on the monostables indicate period.

(h) is the symbol adopted to represent an astablebeing a fixed frequency pulse generator which releases a train of pulses when triggered. Mark space ratio fixed by circuit constants. The figures quoted on the astables indicate frequency.

At (i) in FIGURE 17 is represented a current generator the figure on which indicates the type.

Advantageously, the electronic scanner system comprises four principal components accurately assembled on a common mounting, viz. (a) a flying spot C.R.T. and associated circuits, (b) optical means comprising two lenses 49 and 50 (FIGURE 7), (c) a mounting for the transparency 38 and (d) the photomultiplier 45 and attendant circuits. These components are so assembled in line that the C.R.T. 40 faces the transparency 38 via the 1 to 1 lens 49 and the photomultiplier 45 faces theopposite side of the transparency with the lens 50 be tween them. The output of the photomultiplier 45 feeds the magnetic store 47 via the discriminator 46, gating and shift circuits.

The tube 40 of the flying spot scanner has a cathode, an electron gun and a coated screen. The cathode emits electrons, the gun accelerates them and a focus system bunches them together so that when they hit the coated screen the latter glows at that point. If another electrode is interposed between the cathode and the gun it can be used to cut off the supply of electrons to the gun so that the screen does not glow. The beam thus produced can be deflected from the centre of the screen by using an externally applied magnetic force after the beam leaves the gun. It will be appreciated that if this force is applied in the vertical and horizontal planes the spot can be caused to move to any part of the screen. A varying magnetic force may be obtained by applying current to two coils suitably mounted. High voltage power supplies up to 15 kv. are required for the final anode of the gun to ensure adequate acceleration and consequently brightness of the spot. The tube face designated 51 in FIGURE 14 is ground optically flat, and as the electron beam 52 is deflected radially from the pivot 53 the end thereof will aspire to describe an are 54 on a flat surface. In the upper portion of FIGURE 14, 0=half the angle of deflection of the beam 52. The dotted outline 55 in the lower part of the same figure represents the desired scan area, whereas the surrounding curved lines 56 show an example, albeit an exaggerated one, of the aforementioned pin cushion effect.

As to the photomultiplier 45 this may conveniently be similar in action to a photocell which, if light falling on its active area changes, conveys this change in the form of current or voltage to any suitable external circuits. The photomultiplier as its name implies multiplies or amplifies the effect of the change and hence is a very sensitive photocell. Because of this sensitivity, careful screening of the photocell from light other than that from the scanner is required.

In the magnetic core store 47 which comprises three 12 x 48 magnetic core planes 47a, 47b and 47c, and 12 x 3 two-input gates at 57, each store may advantageously be made up of the required number of tiny ferrite rings through the centre holes of which wires are passed.

A control circuit incorporating each of the miniature solenoid selector devices 28 is fed by one of the twoinput And gates at 59 and gives a pulse to operate the relevant solenoid 32. One input of each of the twelve two input And gates assigned to each vertical bank of solenoid selectors 28 is connected via amplifiers A to 1st duodecade RB. cells 72 and scanned sequentially at butt passing rate. The other inputs to the feed gates relating to each vertical bank of solenoid selectors 28 are connected in common, and the common lines are in turn connected to the appropriate outputs from the magnetic core store 47, and one bank of the 3 x 12 two input gates 57.

Turning now to FIGURES 11, 11A, the letters R, Q and P indicate colour drives. In the lower parts of these two complementary figures is shown a matrix 59 of 12 x 36 two input single pulse And gates. Each of the gates in this matrix 59 is followed by a bistable and an amplifier designed to pass pulses to the corresponding solenoid 32. The lines 60 are from differentiators and as indicated by arrows 61 lead to other rows of gates in the matrix 59. At 62 is indicated a row of thirty-six drive amplifiers. The two input And gates at 57 are for Q and R store and P feed sequencing (12 way). Twenty four write amplifiers, in two groups-one to each of the core stores 47a and 47bare provided at 63 and 63 respectively (FIGURE 11). On the other hand, twelve transfer units and write amplifiers are provided at 64 in association with the core store 470. The X-TRIG line 65 leads to all these transfer units. At 66 are shown three groups each of twelve read amplifiers, i.e., thirty-six in all. The reference numeral 67 designates a column of forty-eight select amplifiers. 47a, previously referred to, is a 12 x 48 Q magnetic core store, whilst 47b and 47c together provide a 12 x 96 R magnetic core store. 68 is the Y-TRIG conductor.

In FIGURES 12, 12A the reference numeral 69 indicates 12 x 4 two input And gates. At B are provided No. 2 gate drives, and the conductors 71 lead to bistables in the solenoid drive circuits. At the bottom of FIGURE 12A the twelve conductors bracketed at 72 lead to the 1st duo-decade RB. cells; the twelve conductors bracketed at 73 lead to the 2nd duo-decade RB. cells; and the twelve conductors bracketed at 74 lead to the 3rd duo-decade P.E. cells. The X-TRIG conductor at the top righthand of FIGURE 12A is the conductor 65 which leads to the R store transfer units at 64. In fact, to piece together the various parts of the semi-logic diagram and enable the latter to be considered as a complete whole, the vertical chain lines X1X1 at the right and the left-hand sides of FIGURES 11 and 11A respectively are brought into register to provide the right-hand half of the diagram. Also, the vertical chain lines X11-X11 at the right and the left-hand sides of FIGURES 12 and 12A respectively are brought into register to provide the left-hand half of the diagram. Finally, the right and the left-hand extremities respectively of the left and the right-hand halves are placed together to complete the semi-logic diagram.

The time bases of the C.R.T. 40 effecting the X and Y scan are, as previously mentioned, produced by current generators and fed to electromagnetic deflection coils on the said C.R.T., the bright-up pulses being fed to the grid/ cathode of the gun.

The output of the photomultiplier 45 is fed via the discriminator 46, which decides whether the pulse represents black, grey or white, to the magnetic core store 47 and selector feeds via gates etc.

A scanned area of 2% x 2%" representing 144 x 144 means a bit size of approximately 0.016" x 0.016". The scanning tube spot can be reduced to 0.002" diameter. It will be seen from FIGURE 13 that allowing for the design tolerance in the time base generators the spot Sp, in the worst case, will always fall within the bit area 39 at which it is directed. The target position is shown in the upper part of FIGURE 13 whereas various off-target positions are shown in the lower part of this figure. In addition, the pin cushion effect, shown in FIGURE 14, in the worst case will still allow the spot to land within the bit area.

Accordingly, the area of 2%" x 2% on the face 51 of the tube 40 is the total scanned area and this scanning is transferred to the transparency by the 1 to 1 lens 49 (FIGURE 7). The tube face diameter is so by restricting the scanned area the pin cushion effect is further reduced. Initially the electron beam 52 and hence the spot Sp is deflected from the centre of the tube to one corner of the scanned area by applying a fixed bias to both X and Y deflector coils. Potentiometers R1 and R2 achieve this through the X and Y amplifiers.

Obviously, if there are 144 stitches between feed groups and each group starts a new course, the first scan task is to move the spot to the first bit on the pattern in the X 10 dimension and successively to twelve bits in the Y dimension as depicted in FIGURE 15. The X movement is accomplished by the illumination of RE. cell 1 in the 1st duo-decade in the X-scan generator, triggering the first current generator whose level is set by R38. This current pulse is applied to the X deflection coil via the X-scan amplifier.

The Y movement is accomplished in a rather more complex manner. Illumination of RE. cell 1 in the Y-scan duo-decade applies a shift in the Y dimension to the centre of bit 1 via the first current generator whose level is set by R3. It will be appreciated that as Y-scan generation is via the 3rd duo-decade of RB. cells this shift will remain for 144 butt periods. The twelve Y steps are generated in the Fast Y-scan circuits within one butt period. The illumination of RE. cell 1 in the X-scan generator produces an X-trig pulse, via an amplifier and the twelveinput or gate, which triggers a bistable in the Fast Y- scan circuits. (The reason for the 50 microsecond monostable in this line will be explained later.) The bistable triggers an astable releasing a train of pulses. These are fed to the bright-up amplifier shown at the top left hand of FIGURE 12 and via a differentiator to a monostable. The monostable output pulses ramp an integrator successively until the twelfth pulse is reached when the Schmidt is fired. The leading edge of the Schmidt pulse resets the bistable and hence terminates the pulse train from the astable. In addition an output (hold off) from the bistable returns the integrator to its original level. A current staircase is fed from the integrator via the Y-scan amplifier to the Y deflection coil (see FIGURE 16). It will be observed from the last mentioned figure that the pulses from the astable feed the bright amplifier before the monostable pulses ramp the Y-scan.

The fast Y-scan repeats the above for each of the X- scan. The X-scan continues to progress in steps across the C.R.T. screen controlled by the current generator triggered by the RB. cells. It will be noted that the 2nd duo-decade of RE. cells triggers only eleven current generators at 41. Each step represents twelve bits, 11 X 12=132 plus the 12in the 1st duo-decade=144.

At the end of 144 X hits the end of the X-scan is reached and the spot returns to the start. At this point rotation of the machine and the disc 44 has shifted the Y-scan to the centre of the second bit in the Y dimension. This is accomplished via the second P.E. cell in the 3rd duo-decade and the second current generator controlled by R4. This progressive shifting of the starting point for the fast Y-scan continues until the twelfth P.E. cell in the 3rd duo-decade is illuminated. At the end of this illumination the clock and ring counter 48 driving the Type 4 current generators is indexed to the first current generator controlled by R15 and the first P.E. cell in the 3rd duo-decade is illuminated. The first Type 4 current generator applies the same Y-shift as the twelfth current generators in the 3rd duo-decade. Progressive shifting of the Type 4, Type 1 and fast Y-scan current generators, plus the stepping X-scan ensures complete coverage of the transparency 38 in bit increments.

As the fast R-scan is progressive in groups of twelve, after line 132 in the Y plane it would be required to scan lines at both the top and bottom of the transparency 38. This would introduce excessive complication in the Y-scan circuits but can be obviated by duplicating the first twelve lines of the pattern on the transparency after line 144.

Outputs As has previously been explained, the butts 7b are arranged around the machine in diagonal lines 26 each of twelve (see FIGURE 3). The mechanical output selectors 28 are in groups of twelve arranged vertically, one group per feed. This means a total of 36 x 12=432 selectors. Associated with each selector 28 is a solenoid 32, a :drive amplifier, a bistable and a two input gate. To ensure correct operation of the butt 7b the selector 28 must be held out for the same distance on the machine circumference irrespective of speed. The bistable pulse is started by the output pulse of the respective two input gate and is terminated by a pulse eleven butt periods later. A machine rotating at the aforementioned speed of rpm. has a butt period of 1.4 ms., therefore time on of output selector=11 x 1.4 ms.=15.4 ms. A machine rotating at half this speed will have a selector on time of 30.8 ms.

It will be observed in FIGURES 11, 11A that one input of each gate in the matrix 59 is linked to all others in a row of thirty-six making twelve rows, and the other input of each such gate is linked to all others in columns making thirty-six separate columns. The twelve rows are connected to the outputs of the RB. cells in the 1st duo-decade (72) such that the pulse from the first P.E. cell will raise one input of each of the thirty-six gates in the bottom row. The second P.E. cell will do the same for the second row from the bottom, and so on. The gate inputs will therefore be continuously scanned in this manner while the rotary cylinder and dial machine is rotating. One input raised does not, however, open the gate. The thirty-six columns are arranged in groups of three such that the first column in any group is fed from the P output of the discriminator 46 via a gating system. The second column is fed from the Q output via the gating system and the 12 x 48 core store 47a and the third column is fed from the R output via the gating system and the 12 x 96 core store 47b, 47c.

Signal channeling and storage The previously mentioned letters P, Q and R represent the colours at the three feeds of each group. Letter P represents the colour at the first feed, letter Q the colour at the second and letter R the colour at the third.

The first bit on the transparency 38 to be examined will contain either P, Q or R information. If P, this will be fed via the gates to the P feeds. If Q, it is necessary to hold the information until the cylinder 1 has rotated to the Q feed when the stitch can be knitted in its correct position. The delay required in this case is 48 butt periods. If the information is R it will be necessary to hold it for ninety-six butt periods. As the Y-scan is arranged to series scan twelve bits of the transparency, at each butt period twelve separate pulses representing either P, Q or R colours will leave the discriminator 46, routed via the P, Q and R lines to the 12 x 3 two-input gates at 57.

The magnetic core store 47 is arranged, as will be appreciated, such that there are twelve channels of forty eight stages of memory available for the Q pulses and twelve channels of ninety-six stages of memory available for the R pulses.

The core store is sequenced through its three groups 47a, 47b and 46c of stages by the 12 x 4 two-input And gates at 69. If the first P.E. cell in the 2nd duo-decade (73) is illuminated this will pass a pulse through the first three input or gate and raise the inputs of the right hand column of And gates, and hold them raised for twelve butt periods. As PE. cells 1 to 12 in the 1st duo-decade (72) are illuminated the second inputs of the first column will be raised in sequence hence opening the gates. The second P.E. cell in the 2nd duo-decade (73) will, via the second three-input or gate, similarly raise the inputs in the second column and while RB. cells 1 to 12 in the 1st duo-decade (72) are illuminated gates 13 to 24 will similarly open. It can be seen from FIGURES 11, 11A and 12, 12A that this process will continue through to the forty-eighth gate and start again at the first gate. The outputs from the forty-eight gates will prime and read the three groups of forty-eight stages of memory in sequence. Obviously if a colour pulse has not previously been written into the store at any memory bit no output pulse will be derived when the store is read. As R colour pulses require a ninety-six stage delay the pulses read at the forty-eighth stage are fed into transfer units at 64 in preparation for writing into the forty-ninth stage. During the second reading of the forty-eight stages, pulses, which were stored in stages 1 to 48 of the R state, are read out and re-written into stages 49 and 96.

Writing into the store is arranged to occur 50 microseconds after reading. As will be seen from the semi-logic diagram prime and read pulses are derived directly from the RB cells via amplifiers and gates. All write circuits are delayed by 50 microseconds via the monostable in the X-trig line 65. The pulses derived from this monostable initiate the fast Y-scan, the bright-up pulses and the 48/96 transfer units. The astable in the fast Y-scan circuits also provides for operation of the clock and ring counter 58 which scans the 12 x 3 two input colour drive gates 57. The Y-trig output which is also applied to this circuit moves the start point of the ring counter, which, after sequencing from 1 to 12, 144 times, sequences from 2 through 12 to 1 for 144 periods, then from 3 through 12 to 2 and so on.

Power supplies All supplies are derived from a main stabilised power unit providing an output at 24 v.024 V. DC across which is floated a high capacity dry lead acid battery.

If the rotary cylinder and dial machine is stopped for any reason the 48 v. battery supplies the electronics with power during the slow down and stop period. The progressively longer pulse required at the output selector during slow down is provided by its bistable whose pulse length is always equivalent to a fixed number of butt periods up to eleven irrespective of speed.

Instead of employing a three level monocolour transparency, as hereinbefore specifically described, a three colour transparency may be used. It is even possible to use a transparency containing two colours one of which has three levels, and so on. The system may be expanded to 4, 5 or 6 colour grouping at the machine.

The entire width and walewise extent of a knitted fabric or garment length produced on a knitting machine equipped with the herein described electronic patterning system may be patterned, or smaller repeat patterns may, if desired, be incorporated into the fabric or garment.

I claim:

1. In combination, in a multi-feed circular knitting machine; a rotary needle cylinder having therein axially extending tricks; individually operable knitting instruments in said tricks with selector butts thereon, said butts being relatively offset in a multiplicity of heightwise spaced planes to form right around the cylinder inclined parallel lines of butts such that successive butts are located in different planes to increase the space, and hence also the time interval, between butts in any one plane; a plurality of banks of selectively operable electromagnetic butt displacing devices, one bank to each feed and the said devices in each bank corresponding in number and spacing to the planes in which the relatively offset selector butts are disposed; a pattern control element of a light-transmitting character having contrasting points adapted to transmit respectively different amounts or wavelengths of light, these points constituting bits of information calculated to influence the electro-magnetic butt displacing devices and hence also the selector butts individually according to patterning requirements; an electric scanner which is adapted systematically to scan in X and Y directions the information borne by the pattern control element at a speed influenced by that of the rotary needle cylinder; means for collecting spots of light which are emitted by the scanner and are modified in intensity or wavelength in correspondence with the aforesaid contrasting light-transmitting points by virtue of movement across the pattern control element, the last mentioned means also functioning to convert these spots into electrical signals acceptable by control circuitry incorporating the electro-magnetic butt displacing devices; a magnetic core store adapted to hold appropriate electrical signals until subsequently required for feeding to relevant butt displacing devices; a discriminator to which the signals are fed and by which said signals are routed either to the core store or to predetermined ones of the butt displacing devices, and gates via which such signals are routed to the relevant butt displacing devices, the complete arrangement providing individual and selective control over the knitting instruments through the medium of the selector butts which, according to patterning requirements, are either left undisturbed or are acted upon to influence the said instruments.

2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the feeds are equi-spaced around the machine, these feeds being arranged in a plurality of groups each comprising a number of feeds equal to the number of contrasting groups of points on the pattern control element adapted to transmit respectively different amounts or wavelengths of light.

3. A combination according to claim 1, wherein each electro-magnetic butt displacing device consists of a pivotally mounted cam having associated therewith a pivoted latch which is mechanically linked to a miniature solenoid, the said latch being also controlled by a spring, and the arrangement being such that if such a cam, located in a butt plane, is projected inwardly up to the surface of the rotating needle cylinder, just after a butt has passed it, and the said cam is thereupon held in this projected position sufficiently long to press the following butt into the relevant cylinder trick, the cam can be withdrawn away from the cylinder surface before the third butt arrives, thereby missing the latter.

4. A combination according to claim 1, which includes a cam for acting on and raising knitting instruments and wherein if a selector butt on such an instrument is depressed by an electromagnetic butt displacing device into the cylinder the corresponding knitting instrument will not be raised at the relevant feed by the said raising cam, whereas if the said selector butt is missed and allowed to remain projecting from the cylinder, the raising cam will function to raise the knitting instrument.

5. A combination according to claim 3, wherein the electro-magnetic butt displacing devices are so assembled that each is latched by means of the associated spring and withdrawn by energisation of the corresponding solenoid.

6. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the pattern control element consists of a flat transparency on which information is stored in analogue form, and said transparency is scanned by a C.R.T. whose time bases effecting X and Y scan are derived, in the form required for correct application of pattern information to the butt displacing devices, via current generators triggered from RB. cells arranged to scan illuminated holes in a drilled disc rotating at the same speed as the needle cylinder.

7. A combination according to claim 6, wherein the discriminator and a photomultiplier convert the analogue to digital pulses for channelling either to the outputs to the electro-magnetic butt displacing devices or to the magnetic core store.

8. A combination according to claim 6, wherein both the magnetic core store input-output circuits and an output system of gates and bistables are locked to the RE. cell disc and scanning time base circuits.

9. A combination according to' claim 3, wherein there is associated with each solenoid a drive amplfier, a bistable and a two input gate.

10. A combination according to claim 6, wherein the C.R.T. time bases produced by the current generator are fed to electro-magnetic deflection coils on the C.R.T.,

14 the bright-up pulses being fed to the grid/cathode of an electron gun of the tube.

11. In combination, in a knitting machine; a needle bed having therein parallel tricks; individually operable knitting instruments in said tricks with selector butts thereon, said butts being so disposed in a multiplicity of of planes as to enable the butts in any one plane to be well spaced apart; selectively operable electro-magnetic butt displacing devices arranged in the butt planes; a fixed flat transparency on which information to actuate the said butt displacing devices is stored in analogue form; an elecronic scanner system incorporating a flying spot cathode ray tube for systematically scanning in X and Y directions the analogue information borne by the said transparency and converting it into electrical signals; a magnetic core store; and means for receiving and discriminating such signals and thereupon routing them either to desired ones of the said electromagnetic but displacing devices or to the magnetic core store which holds them until subsequently required for feeding to other relevant ones of the butt displacing devices, the complete arrangement providing individual and selecttive control over the knitting instruments through the medium of the butts which, according to patterning requirements, are either left undisturbed or are acted upon to influence the said instruments.

12. A combination according to claim 11, which incl-udes a photomultiplier and discriminator adapted to convert the analogue information to digital pulses for channelling either to the outputs of the electro-magnetic butt displacing devices or to the magnetic core store.

13. A combination according to claim 12, wherein the pattern is represented on the transparency in black, grey and white.

14. A combination according to claim 12, which includes an output system of gates and bistables.

15. A combination according to claim 11, wherein the electronic scanner system comprises components assembled in common, viz: the flying spot cathode ray scanning tube and associated circuits, optical means, a mounting for the flat transparency and a photomultiplier and attendant circuits, these components being so assembled in line that the cathode ray scanning tube faces the transparency via a lens, and the photomultiplier faces the opposite side of the transparency with a further lens interposed between them, the output of the photomultiplier feeding the magnetic core store via the discriminating means, gating and shift circuts.

16. A combination according to claim 11, wherein the magnetic core store comprises a plurality of magnetic core planes, shift registers and input gates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,173,488 9/1939 Tandler et al 66-50 3,370,443 2/1968 Bentley et a1. 66-154 2,262,213 11/1941 Tandler 66-50 3,069,881 12/1962 Warren 66-154 3,229,482 1/1966 Farmer 66-50 3,263,453 8/1966 Carrotte et al. 66-154 3,313,128 4/1967 Schmidt et al. 66-50 3,313,129 4/1967 Stock 66-50 FOREIGN PATENTS 925,754 5/1963 Great Britain. 362,787 8/ 1962 Switzerland.

WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 66-154 

